Photos by Morgen Orr A.C. Flora's Emani Har r ison plays tight defense on LR's Dayshaun Richbow. With Tiarra Knotts in the lineup and Kim Roach scoring 22 points, A.C. Flora made a serious run at Lower Richland on Friday, January 30. But Morgan Stroman scored 18 points and Jasmine Harrison added a dozen more as the Diamond Hornets escaped with a 49- 43 home victory.

Roach and Stroman took turns in the first quarter scoring the majority of their team's points. Roach scored the first six points for Flora and eight in total in the quarter while Stroman scored her six points later in the quarter. LR finished the first with a 15- 11 lead.

Stroman added another six points in the second quarter, as she was able to get inside with relative ease. Flora responded with Jasmine Stubbs's two three- pointers and with Knotts driving to the hoop. While LR employed a press, Flora was largely unaffected as Knotts's strong ball handling skills were on display once again. Stephanie Hayes and Dayshaun Richbow each added four points in the second for the Diamonds to give the home team a 30- 24 halftime lead.

The third quarter featured another shot- for- shot battle but this time between Roach and Harrison. With fast break lay ups, Harrison got the Diamonds going offensively but Roach responded with tough, inside points for the Falcons. Stroman sat out most of the third for the Diamonds. Even in her absence, LR was able to maintain and even slightly extend their lead by the end of the quarter, 41- 33.

Alexis Jacobs and Roach combined in the early fourth quarter to deny entry passes to Stroman. Without their key weapon getting open shots, LR's lead started to slip. Roach continued to score inside and brought Flora within four points with 3:30 to play. Two Knotts free throws with just 1:40 left reduced the deficit to two points, 45- 43, in favor of the Diamonds.

Just when it looked like the momentum would swing toward Flora, Harrison made a steal and a length of the court drive ending in a lay up to push the lead back to four with less than a minute to play.

Flora could not connect on any of their final minute shots and free throws by Richbow provided the final margin of six points for Lower Richland.